Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to methods and systems for supporting interactions in communication sessions and more particularly to consolidating applications or services across networks to allow the applications or services to be available on networks of different types.
Various types of “legacy” networks such as the Internet, Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN), and various other types of fixed and mobile communication networks are also in common use. A great many applications have been developed for and specific to these networks. For example, such applications in a telecommunication environment can include applications for performing various services like conferencing, call forwarding, etc as well as various accounting, i.e., charging or billing, subscriber management, and other functions. Additionally, new networks, i.e., “next generation networks,” such as Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks and various IP-based networks have been and are being developed to support communication sessions and services related thereto. However, the “legacy” written for one of the legacy networks are typically not portable. That is, the applications cannot be moved from one legacy network to another or from a legacy network to a next generation network. Furthermore, the applications or services operating on one network, i.e., in a protocol supported by that network, are typically not available on another, different type of network even if that other network is accessible. However, these legacy applications may still be useful and valuable and replacing or modifying these legacy applications to operate on or interact with other networks can be costly and time consuming. Hence, there is a need for improved methods and systems for allowing applications or services to be available across networks of different types.